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• Scholarships will be presented to Elena Serrano of Providence (R.I.) and Jeffrey Pinsker-Smith of Wellesley (Mass.) during the 2017 Newport Jazz Festival

BOSTON, Aug. 2, 2017 - Natixis Global Asset Management today announced the winners of this year's George Wein Jazz Ambassador Scholarships are Elena Serrano of Providence, R.I., and Jeffrey Pinsker-Smith of Wellesley, Mass. Since 2011, Natixis has provided scholarships to students who have shown tremendous musical ability, strong academic achievement, and a commitment to giving back to their communities. The scholarships will be presented by David Giunta, CEO of Natixis Global Asset Management for the U.S. and Canada, during the 2017 Newport Jazz Festival which takes place Aug. 4 through Aug. 6 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, R.I.

Natixis, one of the world's largest asset managers,1 has been presenting sponsor of the Newport Jazz Festival since 2011. The firm awards two $5,000 scholarships annually to two aspiring college-bound musicians as part of its broader commitment to music education and to fostering the next generation of jazz musicians and fans. The scholarships are named in celebration of George Wein, the founder of the Newport Jazz Festival and one of the original jazz ambassadors, who has spent his life working to bring people together through the power of jazz.

"Natixis is honored to sponsor the legendary Newport Jazz Festival and help preserve the legacy of jazz," said Giunta. "Supporting this national treasure aligns with our broader commitment to give back to our community, including support of the arts."

Elena Serrano, a trumpet player, will receive the first scholarship during her performance with the Rhode Island Senior All-State Jazz Ensemble at the festival on Saturday, Aug. 5. Serrano is a graduate of Barrington High School (R.I.) and will study ethnomusicology, composition, and linguistics at Boston University in the fall. Serrano sees the scholarship as validation and encouragement for her goals to create music and help others create music.

The second scholarship will be presented to Jeffrey Pinsker-Smith on Sunday, Aug. 6, following his set with the Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Band. Pinsker-Smith, who graduated from Wellesley High School (Mass.), began playing the trumpet after learning about jazz in middle school. He has said he loves the creative aspects of jazz improvisation and that jazz allowed him to find his "own musical voice." Pinsker-Smith heads to the University of Rochester in the fall to study music and computer science.

"Natixis is proud to recognize not only the tremendous musical ability of Elena and Jeffrey, but also their strong academic achievement and commitment to giving back to their communities," said Giunta. "Through their music these students showcase some of the same traits we encourage in our business such as creativity and innovation, collaboration and embracing diverse thinking and perspectives."

In addition to sponsoring the Newport Jazz Festival, Natixis also partners with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) in the U.K., a world-class orchestra formed 50 years ago for skilled musicians up to the age of 25 to perform nationally and internationally. Natixis' music initiatives are part of our Together for Better℠ philanthropic outreach program which creates important and lasting change, combining our resources, our passions, and the power of change-making community partners. Child by child, family by family, community by community, we are changing the world. Together for Better.

About Newport Festivals Foundation
Newport Festivals Foundation was founded by George Wein in 2010 to build and continue the legacies of the famed Newport Jazz Festival® and Newport Folk Festival®. Under the auspices of the Foundation, the Festivals present performers who respect and honor jazz and folk music traditions, and at the same time reflect the changes in today's musical trends. The Educational Initiatives of the Foundation aim to foster opportunity, inspire through exposure and facilitate the collection of resources needed for musicians, emerging and established, to celebrate and innovate. For more information, please visit www.newportfestivalsfound....

1 Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2017 ranked Natixis Global Asset Management, S.A. as the 15th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management ($877.1 billion) as of December 31, 2016.

2 Net asset value as of June 30, 2017. Assets under management (AUM) may include assets for which non-regulatory AUM services are provided. Non-regulatory AUM includes assets which do not fall within the SEC's definition of ‘regulatory AUM' in Form ADV, Part 1.